POLICE are changing the way that complaints are handled following a national reform.
New legislation issued by the Home Office means that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) have become the legal bodies responsible for carrying out police complaints.
The change is designed to make the police more ‘transparent’.
Previously, the complaint reviews had been carried out within the force itself.
PCC of West Mercia Police, John Campion, said: “I see this change as a real opportunity to improve public confidence in policing.
“That is not to say that our police are not trustworthy, but by adding a degree of separation and independence I hope communities can feel even more reassured that police complaints are being dealt with in a fair, proper and transparent way.”